The Faces Of Addiction : The Middle-Aged, Women And Fentanyl

Addiction Expert, Dr. Indra Cidambi, analyzes factors driving continued growth in drug overdose deaths.

New York, NY – March 15, 2017 –

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recently released data that showed that drug overdose deaths (excl. alcohol) rose 11% year-over-year to 52,404 in 2015, and has increased at an average annual rate of over 7% since 1999.

Overall overdose deaths rose to 16.3 per 100,000 in 2015 from 6.1 in 1999. “An analysis of the 16-year trend shows that the middle-aged, women and fentanyl were consistently driving growth in overdose deaths,” says Dr. Cidambi.

“In middle-aged adults, overdose death rates have risen the most (see data below) since 1999, likely due to declining economic security” says Dr. Cidambi. Recall, that a study by Princeton University in 2015 highlighted this fact and identified it as a causal factor in negatively impacting longevity among the white population in the country.

“Addiction rates among women are catching up with men, as they have more access to addictive medication,” says Dr. Cidambi, who has vast experience in treating women suffering from substance use disorders.

“Another significant driver of overdose deaths is fentanyl, which due to its potency, is used by drug dealers to spike other non-synthetic opiate products (heroin, street pills, etc.),” added Dr. Cidambi.

“However, individualized and innovative treatment modalities such as ambulatory detox have the potential to bend the trend.”

Dr. Indra Cidambi, a leading Addiction Medicine expert and Co-Founder and Medical Director at the Center for Network Therapy, New Jersey’s first outpatient detox facility notes that, “The rate of increase in overdose deaths is alarming for multiple reasons; the sheer number of people whose lives are being cut short by this disease is a huge tragedy and, additionally, society’s resources are strained by enormous criminal justice and treatment costs and loss of productivity.”

The middle-aged in crisis

The increased death rate among middle-aged white people of the baby-boom generation due to drug and alcohol abuse was well documented by a Princeton University paper published in September of 2015.

This group’s inability to find skill-appropriate jobs and pension insecurity driven by weak stock market performance are believed to be causal factors of addiction among this population. Additionally, Dr. Cidambi noted, “An increase in opioid pain pill prescriptions coupled with increased economic insecurity associated with globalization have come together to drive this population to dependence.”

Overdose deaths rose to 30 per 100,000 (from 5.2 in 1999) for the 45-54 age group and to 22 per 100,000 (from 4.2) for the 55-64 age group. More women seek solace in medication. Women are more likely to seek medication or self-medicate for emotional and psychological issues. “Anxiety, depression, borderline personality disorder and eating disorders more commonly affect women and provide them access to prescription medications that could be addictive,” says Dr. Cidambi.

Biology also predisposes women to get addicted faster as, for 2 similar intake, their bodies are exposed to the substance longer and at higher concentration levels than men. Women are the focal point of family logistics and they often juggle a demanding career as well. They turn to medication to deal with the stress and keep up the appearance of being able to juggle different responsibilities seamlessly.

Dr. Cidambi has been treating women with addiction issues for over a decade. She is aware of the issues women face when seeking and participating in treatment. “It is much more difficult for women to make that first call for help, as they sometimes feel they might be abandoning their role in the family,” says Dr. Cidambi. “Shame and fear also are barriers to women seeking treatment.” (To read more on this click on https://recoverycnt.com/addction-in-women/).

Overdose deaths among women has grown faster than men in 9 of the past 16 years and overdose death rates are catching up with that of men – it was 11.8 per 100,000 for women in 2015 up from 3.9 in 1999 as compared to a rise in men to 20.8 per 100,000 from 8.2. The absolute number of overdose deaths among women grew 3.5 times between 1999 and 2015 (to 19,447) as compared to 2.9 times for men.

The fentanyl factor

“Fentanyl, a synthetic opioid, is incredibly potent (50 times stronger than morphine or heroin) and even a small increase in dose could be fatal,” says Dr. Cidambi. “That is not the only danger with fentanyl,” Dr. Cidambi adds. “Since it is made by combining chemicals, pills laced with fentanyl are being made locally by obtaining chemicals over the internet and importing pill making machines piecemeal. Regulating the sale of these chemicals over the internet is extremely tough.” Fentanyl and Tramadol users – rose 13 times (vs 3 times average) from 1999 levels to 9,580.

It is not all doom and gloom there is hope

“Despite the gloomy picture painted by CDC statistics, all is not lost. We can still win the war on addiction,” says Dr. Cidambi. Individualized treatment protocols to meet a patient’s needs and utilization of a gender-responsive treatment approach, increase the chances of the patient staying on the path to recovery after detoxification. “In my opinion, a combination of medication assisted treatment, more availability of treatment and new, innovative treatment models such as ambulatory detoxification can contain the spread of the epidemic, and, eventually, reverse it,” concludes Dr. Cidambi.

For more information on women and addiction, Dr. Cidambi’s innovation in addiction treatment or to learn more about the Center for Network Therapy please visit, www.RecoveryCNT.com.

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Against The Law

We’ve all been there. Drinks with our workmates after a long day.

Celebratory drinks after a big win. Too many cocktails at a staff function.

Some offices even host regular social functions within the business premises.

More often than not, these are all just social gatherings that help employees bond, break barriers between different levels of management and encourage camaraderie.

But they can also lead to overindulgence. A few beers or a few cocktails, maybe a few hits off a joint, or maybe a few lines of coke.

When everyone is doing it, it seems like the norm and awkward not to participate. When people are in professional positions with great pay, it’s easy to take socializing to the next step.

Lawyers face the Pressure of the Profession

Anyone who has faced the pressure of graduating can attest to the level of stress. Law students are under far more stress. The tests are very rigorous and the euphoria of being accepted into a law program evaporates quickly. They face a great deal of work and stress. Studies show that, within a few months of joining law school, students show signs of anxiety and depression.

By the end of their first year, close to half show signs of depression. This often leads to anxiety medication and/or sleeping pills. It is also not uncommon for students to sell these prescription pills for extra cash, leading to easy availability of these medications on law school campuses.

When they finally finish school, they not only face an overwhelming load of work, but work often conflicts of their own moral and value systems. These need to be ignored and pushed aside in order to get the job done.

The competition in the profession is brutal and the drive to excel can quickly lead to mental fatigue. Consequently, seeking solace in alcohol and drugs or the abuse of prescription drugs is not uncommon. Over time, tolerance builds, and the patient needs to take more to feel the same effect.

Having a few beers at the end of the week can quickly turn into substance abuse, with prescription and street drugs. This type of self-medicating doesn’t end with graduation.

Workload

Finding a good job is daunting when you have to compete with all the other graduates. However, getting your foot in the door is only the beginning. Young lawyers find themselves in an unenviable position of being tasked with lowly and menial jobs. This can make them feel worthless and adds to the stress.

Long hours and ridiculous schedules take a toll. Add on the pressure of them having to meet various quotas: finding new clients, the win/loss ratio, etc. After working so hard, they worry constantly of being overlooked for advancement. Such stress damages their personal relationships. It’s no wonder they rank so high in depression and addiction.

There is also safety in following the herd. When many of your co-workers and peers all feel the same way, it feels good to stick together to take away the stress through the social norms of drinking and, sometimes, drugs.

Unfortunately, this can have the opposite effect after a while. Too much overindulgence leads to loss of control and sub-optimal work performance. This, in turn, may lead to financial pressures, which may intensify the dependence on drugs or alcohol.

Getting Help

The first step is always accepting that you have a problem. The person needs to recognize the damage being done to their health from alcohol, their career and their relationships.

The legal world is small, and it is never a good idea to have issues following you, like substance abuse or addiction. Losing a job due to addiction could do irreparable harm to one’s career.

The first step should be speaking directly to your employer, as there are programs in place to help their staff get the help they need. Talking to your immediate supervisor about the stress on the job and how it has affected you will be the first step to recovery.

Talking to your family and friends is also a good idea, especially if they have expressed their concern already. It’s more than just your job at stake, it’s your health and your future, as well.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact us today.

 

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Probuphine – formidable hurdles will severely limit adoption

The battle of treating those living with the disease of addiction is ongoing and ever – challenging.

New treatments and medications are continually being developed, tested and introduced.

One of the newer medications on the market, introduced in 2016, is Probuphine. This drug is unique in its approach as it a buprenorphine implant.

Buprenorphine that sells under the brand names of Suboxone, ZubSolv and Subutex is highly effective in treating withdrawal symptoms and cravings associated with opiate abuse.

It inserted into the upper arm and it slowly releases the medication over a six-month period.

It is the first implant of buprenorphine that helps patients in treatment for addiction to opiates such as heroin, fentanyl, and opioid pain killers. Like all other medications, there are positives and negatives.

Pros and Cons

Pros

With an implant in place, compliance with daily medication regimen becomes easy as the patient does not have to remember to take it every day. Also, the chances of misplacing the medication or having it stolen is eliminated.

It is helpful in lowering the risk of relapse as the medication is systematically introduced into the body without any intervention by the patient. It is released at a steady rate, so the patient does not experience any withdrawal symptoms or cravings. It will also help stop the diversion of this medication into the black market.

Probuphine is ideal for those who have been stabilized on a low dose of buprenorphine. It is also a much safer alternative for those who may have children in the home, or someone living in a treatment center.

Cons

There are a few concerns with these implants, including;

There is always risk involved with the implants, as it has to be inserted utilizing a surgical procedure, although it is minimally invasive. There is always the risk of infection at the implant site.

Also two physicians may have to be present to do the implant – the prescribing physician and the physician who actually performs the surgical procedure. Besides, there have been problems in extracting the implant after 6 months.

Another barrier to getting the implant is cost. As it is new, some health insurance providers may not cover the procedure, as the patient’s out-of-pocket costs could be considerable.

A potential downside to the implant is that, patients may become overly reliant on the implant and neglect other aspects of their treatment, such as therapy to effect lifestyle changes needed to maintain their sobriety.

If you are considering using this medication, it is advisable to have a professional evaluation and a conversation with your physician.

Research on the web yields real life experiences of people who have utilized this implant. Some patients who went on this medication found that the dosage delivered was insufficient and they continued to experience uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms, such as feeling sick or having cramps, despite the implant.

Others continued to use other opiates, such as kratom, to make themselves feel physically comfortable despite the implant. Some other had to utilize psychotropic drugs as an adjunct in order to feel better.

 

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